Quinte Waste Solutions is getting ahead of the gardening season to notify residents that black plastic is not recyclable, and is not accepted in the blue box.
Quinte Waste Solutions spokesman Dan Orr says the issue is that the plastic processors who purchase this material do not want black plastic, or dirty plastic.
It’s not recyclable.
Orr says the revenue from sales goes directly into the operating budget.
If dirty or black plastic makes its way into the plastic Quinte Waste Solutions sells, it counts as contamination, and there’s less revenue, which then has a direct effect on municipal taxes.
BLACK PLASTIC
Other coloured planters and pots are accepted but Orr says they must be clean , have a recyling symbol with a number 1, 2,or 5 on them, and be free of hangers and handles.
Soil bags are recyclable but must be clean, dry and stuffed into a bag with other plastic bags.
Orr says for the operating budget, many savings come from how and what everyone puts to the curb on recycling day.
